Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to on-line transactions, and in particular, to authenticating and completing transactions through a user device.
Related Art
More and more consumers are purchasing items and services over electronic networks, such as the Internet. Consumers routinely search for and purchase products and services from merchants and individuals alike. The transactions can take place directly between an on-line merchant or retailer and the consumer, where payment is typically made by entering credit card or other financial information. Transactions can also take place with the aid of an on-line payment provider, such as PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. Such payment providers can make transactions easier and safer for the parties. Purchasing through the Internet from the convenience of a consumer's home, office, or virtually anywhere (with mobile devices) is one main reason why on-line purchases are growing faster and faster.
On-line purchasing and other transactions, such as financial transactions involving movement of money over the Internet, have greatly increased, due in part to the ease of use by the consumer or user. In on-line payment transactions, multiple parties are frequently involved. For example, a user may use a portable device to access a merchant's website to make purchases and to request that payments for the purchases be transferred from the user's account with a payment provider such as PayPal to the merchant's account. To complete the purchase, the user needs to authorize the payment transaction with the payment provider. Authorization of the payment transaction may require the user to enter identification information such as a user ID (e.g., an email, username, or phone number) and a password or PIN that is known only to the user and the payment provider so that the payment provider may authenticate the user. However, to complete a transaction, the user may be required to enter such information to the merchant, a payment provider, or both. This may be burdensome, time-consuming, and inefficient, due at least in part to having to enter information and/or remember the requested information.
Thus, there is a need for a way that users or consumers can more easily authenticate a user and process a transaction without the disadvantages of the conventional methods above.